Skip to main content
← Back to Dental Practices

Dental Practices Glossary

100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026

Inlay

Intermediate Technical IVT

An indirect intracoronal restoration fabricated outside the mouth and cemented into a prepared tooth cavity, restoring its form and function.

Showing 49–72 of 100

Furcation

Advanced Technical IVT

The anatomical area where the roots of a multi-rooted tooth diverge from the main trunk of the root.

Technical Term Full entry →

Gingivitis

Basic Technical IVT

Inflammation of the gingiva (gums), typically caused by plaque accumulation, characterised by redness, swelling, and ble...

Technical Term Full entry →

Glass Ionomer Cement

Intermediate Technical IVT

A tooth-coloured dental restorative and luting material that bonds chemically to tooth structure and releases fluoride.

Technical Term Full entry →

Gutta-percha

Intermediate Technical IVT

A natural thermoplastic material derived from the Palaquium tree, used as the primary core obturation material in root c...

Style Convention Full entry →

Hyperaemia

Intermediate Technical IVT

Increased blood flow to the dental pulp, typically in response to irritation or early carious invasion, representing a r...

Technical Term Full entry →

Incisal

Basic Technical IVT

Relating to the cutting edge of anterior teeth (incisors and canines).

Technical Term Full entry →

Inlay

Intermediate Technical IVT

An indirect intracoronal restoration fabricated outside the mouth and cemented into a prepared tooth cavity, restoring i...

Technical Term Full entry →

Interproximal

Intermediate Technical IVT

Relating to the contact surfaces between adjacent teeth, particularly the areas where neighbouring teeth meet.

Technical Term Full entry →

LA

Basic Technical IVT

Standard abbreviation for 'local anaesthesia' or 'local anaesthetic' as used in UK dental clinical notes and records.

Abbreviation Full entry →

Lingual

Basic Technical IVT

Relating to or directed toward the tongue side of a tooth or oral structure.

Technical Term Full entry →

Local Anaesthesia

Basic Technical IVT

The reversible loss of sensation in a specific area of the oral cavity, achieved by injection of an anaesthetic agent, t...

Technical Term Full entry →

Luxation

Advanced Technical IVT

Traumatic displacement of a tooth within its socket without complete separation from the alveolar bone.

Technical Term Full entry →

Malocclusion

Intermediate Technical IVT

A misalignment or incorrect relationship between the upper and lower teeth when the jaws close.

Technical Term Full entry →

Mesial

Basic Technical IVT

Directed toward or situated at the midline of the dental arch; the tooth surface closest to the dental midline.

Technical Term Full entry →

Mesial Drift

Intermediate Technical IVT

The natural tendency of teeth to migrate in a forward direction (towards the midline) over time, which can close spaces...

Technical Term Full entry →

MTA

Advanced Technical IVT

Abbreviation for Mineral Trioxide Aggregate; a biocompatible cement used in dentistry for pulp capping, pulpotomy, and r...

Abbreviation Full entry →

NHS Band

Basic Formal IVT

One of three treatment charge categories (Band 1, 2, or 3) used in the NHS dental system in England and Wales to determi...

Document Type Full entry →

Obturation

Advanced Technical IVT

The process of filling and sealing the prepared root canal system with an inert material, most commonly gutta-percha, to...

Technical Term Full entry →

Occlusal

Basic Technical IVT

Relating to the biting or chewing surface of posterior teeth, or to the contact between upper and lower teeth.

Technical Term Full entry →

Occlusion

Intermediate Technical IVT

The contact relationship between the upper and lower teeth when the jaws are closed or in functional movement.

Technical Term Full entry →

Onlay

Intermediate Technical IVT

An indirect extracoronal restoration that covers one or more cusps of a posterior tooth, providing greater protection th...

Technical Term Full entry →

Operculum

Advanced Technical IVT

The flap of gingival tissue overlying the crown of a partially erupted or impacted tooth.

Technical Term Full entry →

OPG

Basic Technical IVT

Abbreviation for 'orthopantomogram', a panoramic dental radiograph that captures a broad, single-image view of the entir...

Abbreviation Full entry →

Oral Mucositis

Intermediate Technical IVT

Painful inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the mouth, most commonly documented as a complication...

Technical Term Full entry →
Showing 49–72 of 100

Editors from these organisations have used our services since 1998

Reuters BBC Oxford University Press Penguin Random House Springer Microsoft Suncor Energy United Nations Fisher Investments IBM The Home Depot KODAK CHEVRON